Sewing and trimming machine



Jan. 11, 1938. F.,M. CARD 2,105,346

SEWING AND TRIMMING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 11, 1938. F. M. CARD SEWING AND TRIMMING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 amen/10f fiederio 1. Card Jan. 11, 1938. F. M. CARD SEWING AND TRIMMING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 3 Sheets-$11691; 3

fiedera'c M Cami mwm Patented Jan. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING AND TRIMIMING MACHINE Application May 12, 1936, Serial No. 79,231

. 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in trimmer mechanisms and more particularly in trimmer mechanisms of sewing machines, the invention having for its primary object to provide durable actuating means for a trimmer mechanism adapted to effect the production of smoothly trimmed and sharply curved work-edges.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in P which? Fig. 1 is a rear side elevation, partly in section, of a sewing machine provided with the improved trimmer-actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front end elevation, of the machine, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a detail view in elevation 20 of the trimmer-knife throw-in lever. Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of the sewing machine and the trimmer-actuating mechanism combined therewith. Fig. 5 represents a substantially vertical section of the coun- 25 ter-shaft crank and pitman. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section of the crank-actuated pitman, taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. '7 represents a transverse section of the pitman, taken substantially on the line of 30 Fig. 6.

The present invention constitutes an improvement in the trimmer-actuating mechanism of the pending U. S. patent application of Roy Painter, Serial No. 66,012, filed Feb. 27, 1936. Re

35 ferring to the drawings, the improved trimmeractuating mechanism is illustrated as embodied in a sewing machine having a frame comprising a bed-plate I, from one end of which rises a worksupporting post 2. Upon the opposite end of the 40 bed-plate is the supporting standard 3 of a bracket-arm 4 which terminates at its free end in a head 5 overhanging the work-supporting post 2.

Rotatably journaled in the bracket-arm 4 is a horizontally disposed main actuating shaft 6 carrying at one end a combined belt-pulley and balance-wheel 1. At itsopposite end, the main shaft 6 is provided with a crank-disk 8 operatively connected to reciprocate a vertically dis- 50 posed needle-bar 9 carrying at its lower end a needle Ill. The needle-bar 9 is journaled for endwise reciprocation in suitable bearings provided in a swinging frame pivotally hung at its upper end upon a fulcrum-pin l2 suitably se- 55 cured in the bracket-arm head 5 so that the frame I swings about an axis in parallelism with the axis of rotation of the main shaft 6. Swinging movements are imparted to the frame H by a crank-arm l3 at one end of a rock-shaft l4, journaled horizontally in the bracket-arm 4, as more fully illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,884,404, Oct. 25, 1932, W. C. VanNess et al. The needle |ll cooperates, in the formation of lock-stitches, with the usual loop-taker (not shown) disposed within the upper end of the frame post 2.

In the operation of the sewing machine, the work is continuously advanced by a feed-wheel l5 projecting through a suitably slotted throatplate l6 secured upon the upper end of the worksupporting post 2, the line of feed lying in the vertical plane of lateral movement of the needle H1. The feed-wheel |5 may be rotated by any suitable actuating mechanism, the present feedwheel actuating mechanism being similar to that disclosed in the above noted U. S. Patent No. 1,884,404. It will be understood that the needle I0, while-in the work, moves laterally in the direction of feed and that the return movements of the needle are effected while out of the work, so that the feeding of the Work is assisted by the needle. Opposed to the feed-wheel is a presserroller closely adjacent to and at one side of the plane of needle-reciprocation, said presserroller being carried by the lower end of the usual spring-depressed presser-bar |8 journaled for vertical movements in the bracket-arm head 5.

Secured, by screws l9, to the under side of the bracket-arm 4 is a trimmer bracket 20, providing bearings in which a knife-bar 2| is journaled for endwise reciprocation in a vertically inclined path. Carried by the lower end of the knife-bar 2| is a knife-holder 22 to which a work-severing element in the form of a straight-edge trimmerknife 23 is secured by screws 24. While the cutting edge of the knife is straight, it is preferably inclined downwardly in the direction of feed, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The trimmer-knife 23 has a path of movement to sever the work substantially parallel to the line of seam formation and at the side of the path of the needle opposite to the presserroller Suitably secured upon the knife-bar 2| is a collar 25 pivotally connected by a link 26 to an arm 21 of a bracket carried by the lower end of an actuator-bar 28. The actuator-bar 28 is confined to vertical reciprocation in suitable guideslots provided in the bracket-arm head 5, said P bar 28 having in its outer edge a notch 30 adaptrock-'shaft 33 has a circumferential groove 35 embraced by a suitably notched ear 36 upon a The handtrimmer throw-out hand-lever 3?. I lever 31 is pivotally mountedupon a horizontally disposed fulcrum-screw 39 extending transversely of the main shaft 6 and threaded into a,

boss 40 upon the machine bracket-arm 4;.- The hand-lever 3'! depends below the bracket-arm 4 so as to be conveniently accessible fromthe ,restrained against movement endwise of the front side of the machine, said hand-lever being spring biased in a direction to releasably hold the coupling pin 3| in the notch 35 of the actuator-bar 28. A coil-spring 4| has its-opposite ends connected to the bracket-arm- 6 and to: the knife-bar 2| to retract said knife barfrom operative position and thereby toraise the actuator-bar 28 when the handlever 3'! is operated to disconnect the coupling-pin from the actuator-bar 28. r

Suitably secured upon the trimmer-bracket-ZB, at the rearward side thereof, is an auxiliary bracket-plate 26' havingits upper endspaced from the bracketZll to receive'therebetween a throw-in hand-lever for the trimmer-knife. This hand-lever comprises complemental lever -"rnembers 42, 43 pivotally mounted adjacent each other uponastud-bolt 44. The member 42 has a laterally offset extension 45 overhanging the upper end of the lever-member 43 and to this ex tension is suitably secured'a bentspring 46 bear ing against the lever-member 43 below the pivotal axisthereof; said spring 46 functioning to yieldingly hold the lever-members 42, 43 against relative movement. The lever-member 43 of said hand-lever is yieldinglyheld by a spring 3? against a fixed stop-pin 43 extending inwardly from the bracket-plate Zll'and determining the normal inoperative position of the hand-lever 62, 43. The offset extension 45' of the lever-member 42 is adapted to engagethe upper end of the knife-bar '2|- upon operation of the hand- 43 of the hand-lever can be released by the operator. It is at this time, primarily, that the spring 46 functions to permit the member 52 of the hand-lever to-yield relatively to the member 43, thereby absorbing the vibratory action that would otherwise be transmitted to the hand of the operator. The hand-lever member 43 is, inthe present instance, provided with a headed stud 49 which serves as a steadying guide for the lower arm of the member 52 of saidhandlever. From the foregoing description it will be understood that the trimmer-knife carrying bar 2| maybe connected to and disconnected from the rock-shaft 33 at the will of the operator during'the operation of the machine.

posed pitman 58. man 58 is apertured to pivotally embrace a crank- Extending rearwardly from the rock-shaft 33 and rigidly secured thereto is a forked rock-arm 55, the spaced members and 52 of which are provided with horizontally alined apertures slidably receiving a pin 53 disposed substantially parallel to the rock-shaft 33. The pin 53 has a longitudinal bore 54 preferably receiving a Wick 55, said bore 54 being intersected .byca plurality of radial ducts 56 provided in said pin. to conduct lubricant to the bearing faces in the rock-arm members 5| and 52 for the pin 53.

Rigidly secured by a screw 51 upon the slidepin 53, between the rock-arm members 5|, 52,

is the apertured lower end of a vertically dis- At its opposite end, the pitpin 59, extending from a crank-disk 65 at one end of a rotary counter-shaft 6|. The pitman 58 is is journaled in flanged bearing-bushings 63 and. 54 suitably secured in horizontally apertured lugs 65 and 66 of a bearing-bracket 6'|. The bracket 67 is secured by screws 68 upon the machine.

bracket-arm 4 so that the counter-shaft bears ing lugs of said bracket 61 extend rearwardly from the bracket-arm 4.

Suitably secured upon one: end of the counter-shaft 6| is a groovedpulley69= connected by a belt 16 to a pulley carried by the ro-" tor-shaft 12 of an electric motor 13... Theelectrio motor 13 is mounted upon a bracket ;14 se-. cured by screws 15 uponzthe' rearward side of the supporting standard 3 of the sewing machine bracket-arm, said electric motor 13 being preferably provided with an electric-currentcontrolling switch 16. The pulleys 69' and "H are preferably proportioned so that thecounter-shaft 6| is rotated at a lower rate of speed than the speed of rotation of the rotor-shaft 12;

In order to supply lubricant to the counter.- shaft bearings, the bracket-lugs 65-and 66: are each provided with upstanding and vertically apertured bosses H, the apertures 18 in said bosses (Fig. 5) being alined with lug-apertures 79 forming lubricant wells below the bushing. apertures in said lugs. Each bushing 63011 64, is diametrically apertured to provide a restricted duct- 86, connecting the boss-aperture. 18' with the shaft-bearing face of the bushing, and a larger duct 8| alined with'thelug-well 19. Preferably, a wick 82 is disposed in thenwell 19; and extends throughthe bushing-duct 8| into contact with the counter-shaft 6|. The boss-aperture 18 is yieldingly closed at its upper end by a suitable spring-pressed valve 83, while the bushing, 63 or 64, is provided in itsshaft-bearing face withintersecting spiralgrooves 84. Oil introduced i-ntothe boss-aperture 18, through the valve 83, passes through the ducts 80 and 8| into the well 19, from which it is conducted by the wick 82 to the shaft and is distributed by the bushing-grooves. lengthwise andcircumferentially of the shaft-bearing face of the bush- The pitman 58 is provided longitudinally thereof with a bore 85 (Fig. 6) of which the upper end is enlarged to form a reservoir 86 adjacent the crank pin 59. Intersecting. the lower portion of the reservoir 86 is a transverse pitman bore 87 conneoting'said reservoirwith the crankpin bearing face of the. pitman. Disposed in the transverse bore 81 is a wick 88in wipingengagement with the crank-pin 59. The upper end of the reservoir is, preferably, yieldingly closed by a spring-pressed valve 89, while the lower end of the pitman-bore 85 is alined with a radial duct 90 provided in the tubular slide-pin 53.

Partly embracing the crank and pitman connection between the counter-shaft GI and the rock-arm members 5|, 52, is an oil-guard bracket 9| which is substantially C-shaped in vertical section, said bracket having a laterally extending shank 92 secured by screws 93 to the under side of the bracket-lug 65. The lower portion of the bracket 9| has side walls 9|, thereby to provide a well for collecting lubricant thrown off by the actuating mechanism embraced by the bracket.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that when the electric motor 13 is in operation, the rocker comprising the rock-shaft 33 and its crank-arms 32 and 50 is continuously actuated, the reciprocation of the trimmer-knife 23 being dependent upon whether or not the coupling pin 3! is in operative engagement with the actuator-bar 28. By swinging the hand-lever 31 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the rock-shaft 33 is shifted endwise to disconnect the couplingpin 3| from the actuator-bar 28. The slide-pin 53 connection between the pitman 58 and the rock-arm 50 leaves the pitman 58 unaffected by the endwise movements of the rock-shaft 33.

It will be further understood that the trimmerknife 23 may be rendered inoperative by disconnecting the electric motor 13 from its source of power, whereby the sewing machine may be operated without actuating any portion of the trimmer mechanism. On the other hand, the trimmer mechanism and the work-feeding mechanism of the sewing machine may be caused to operate conjointly, without stitching, by merely removing the needle 10 from the needle-bar.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:-

1. The combination with a sewing machine having a rotary actuating shaft, and stitch-forming mechanism deriving actuation from said shaft, of a trimmer mechanism comprising a reciprocatory trimmer-knife actuating bar, a driving shaft rotatable independently of said sewing machine actuating shaft, a counter-shaft operatively connected to rotate with said driving shaft, a two-armed rocker having one arm operatively connected to said trimmer-knife actuating bar, an actuating member pivotally connected to the other arm of said rocker, and means carried by said counter-shaft for actuating said member.

2. The combination with a sewing machine having a rotary actuating shaft, and stitch-forming mechanism deriving actuation from said shaft, of a trimmer mechanism comprising a reciprocatory trimmer-knife actuating bar, an electrio-motor operable independently of said sewing machine actuating shaft, a counter-shaft, driving connections for rotating said countershaft from said electric motor, a crank-member carried by said counter-shaft, a rock-shaft having a plurality of crank-arms, one of.said crankarms being operatively connected to said trimmer-knife actuating bar, and a pitman connecting the counter-shaft crank-member and the other arm of said rock-shaft.

3. The combination with a sewing machine having a rotary actuating shaft, and stitch-forming mechanism deriving actuation from said shaft, of a trimmer mechanism comprising a reciprocatory trimmer-knife actuating bar, a rocker shiftable lengthwise of its pivotal axis into and out of operative engagement with said bar, manually operable means for axially shifting said rocker, a driving shaft rotatable independently of said sewing machine actuating shaft, a counter-shaft operatively connected to said driving shaft, and an axially shiftable pivotal connection between said rocker and said countershaft.

4. The combination with a sewing machine having a frame including a work-support and a bracket-arm overhanging said work-support, and stitch-forming and work-feeding mechanisms carried by said frame, of a trimmer mechanism comprising a reciprocatory trimmer-knife actuating bar mounted in said bracket-arm, an endwise shiftable rock-shaft journaled in said bracket-arm, a crank-arm carried by said rock-shaft adapted to be coupled to and disconnected from said actuating bar, an electric motor mounted upon said frame and having a rotor shaft, a counter-shaft journaled upon said bracket-arm, driving connections between said rotor and counter-shafts, a crank-member carried by said counter-shaft, a second crank-arm carried by said rock-shaft, a pitman connection between said crank-member and said second crank-arm providing for endwise movements of said rockshaft, and means for endwise shifting said rockshaft.

FREDERIC M. CARD. 

